10 Electric Cars Available Nationwide

Beginning in September of 2017, the Chevrolet Bolt joined the short list of BEVs available nationwide (InsideEVs/George B)

While you may only find a few of these cars at a dealership near you, you should find all of these BEVs available nationwide in the U.S. if you’re willing to place an order.

Just like anything else, there may be exceptions and it’s not always cut and dry. Depending on which car you choose and where you live, there is surely the potential to run into issues, but it’s definitely worth a try. A handful of these cars are WIDELY available nationwide, meaning they’ll show up at most dealerships and you shouldn’t run into a problem.

With that being said, if you live in a less populous state, or even in a remote city, you may have to drive some distance to a metropolitan area. Nationwide availability only guarantees that the vehicle is available in at least one dealership in each of the 50 states. Generally, most dealerships are not going to stock many BEVs since these cars make up such a tiny fraction of overall sales. Some dealerships may not stock them at all, but should be able to order one for you. However, there’s not a guarantee that you won’t have to travel a reasonable distance to take delivery or even have to pay to have it shipped.

For each model listed below, we’ve attempted to secure as much information as possible regarding availability to assist you in the buying process. However, automakers aren’t always very transparent when it comes to the availability of these vehicles. To compare vehicle specs, consult our Compare EVstab in the top left corner of our homepage.

Chevrolet Bolt EV – EPA Range 238 Miles

BMW i3 – EPA Range 114 Miles

Like the Chevrolet Bolt, the BMW i3 is available in every U.S. state and inventory tends to be good. Keep in mind that there are not that many BMW dealers in the U.S., so you may be taking a small road trip to find the one nearest you that has an i3 on hand.

Nissan LEAF – 2018 LEAF EPA Range 151 Miles

The LEAF has been available throughout the U.S. for years. However, due to a late, slow start with production of the new 2018 model and a lack of 2017 inventory, it hasn’t been very easy to get one as of late. Nissan is building inventory now, so that’s beginning to change.

Tesla Model S and X – EPA Range From 238 Miles To 335 Miles

Tesla has a limited number of stores throughout the country, and you should be able to get a Model S or X in many locations, but with new delivery timelines, you may have to wait four or five months. While the automaker uses an online custom ordering system, inventory vehicles are also available in decreasing quantities. However, there still eight states that either ban or limit Tesla’s direct sales model. Michigan, Texas, Utah, Connecticut, New Mexico, Wisconsin, and Oklahoma don’t allow the automaker to sell its cars at all. New York allows sales but limits the number of “dealerships” to five in the entire state.

Tesla Model 3 – EPA Range 310 Miles

The Model 3 is a weird case. It’s “available” and eventually will be as available as the Model S and X (once the current long list of reservations are filled and Tesla can even begin to consider filling new orders or stocking inventory). However, for now, only one of its three trims is being manufactured, and unless you’re a current Tesla owner and have secured a paid reservation, it’s not going to be available to you for some time. If you want the base trim or dual motor variant, you’ll have to wait longer.

Ford Focus Electric – EPA Range 115 Miles

The Focus Electric is available in California and “slightly” stocked in all CARB states. It’s also available in very limited numbers in other areas. The 2018 model may be more readily available in CARB states than the outgoing model. However, there’s no consistency to the equation. Dealerships may or may not choose to stock it or make it available to you. You should be able to order the Focus Electric nationwide, and the automaker says it can be serviced at most Ford dealerships.

Kia Soul EV – EPA Range 111 Miles

The Soul EV tells much the same story as the Ford Focus Electric. It’s primarily available in California, but also stocked in some quantity in other CARB states. Additionally, a handful of locations in non-CARB states choose to stock a few. Some dealerships that don’t sell the Soul EV are willing to order it for you if you ask nicely.

smart fortwo ED – EPA Range 58 Miles

Mercedes-Benz sells smart cars. It claims that the smart fortwo ED is available nationwide. Keep in mind, the automaker doesn’t have a vast dealer network in the first place, and many of them (especially outside of urban areas) don’t sell the smart fortwo ED. Once smart switched to fortwo ED only in the U.S., many dealers moved to service only, rather than sales. So, it’s available in low-volume at a limited number of locations. To provide an example, we did a search from Michigan and found that the closest vehicle was 330 miles away. However, there is a smart dealer within 50 miles of our location, and while the fortwo ED is not stocked, we should be able to order one. At this point, we’re awaiting confirmation.

Hyundai IONIQ Electric – EPA Range 124 Miles

According to Hyundai’s website, the IONIQ Electric is only available to California residents. Inventory is also very low. However, the automaker has said that the vehicle may eventually be available for order at all dealerships nationwide. We haven’t secured proof of this yet, but it makes sense and it can’t hurt to give it a try. While it seems on the website you can’t order one to any dealership outside of California at this point, Hyundai claims ordering will eventually be available to all, and select dealerships may be willing to secure one for you. If inventory doesn’t pick up, this would be a moot point.

Conclusion

The Chevrolet Bolt and BMW i3 are currently the only BEVs available nationwide in terms of widespread inventory at plenty of dealerships. The new 2018 Nissan LEAF will join the latter very soon. You can order any Tesla vehicle immediately. While a Model S and X should be ready fairly quickly, you may have to wait more than a year for a Model 3. Depending on where you live, you may have to order your Tesla sight unseen, and in some states, you will have to travel elsewhere to take delivery.

A growing variety of U.S. dealerships may have a Ford Focus Electric or Kia Soul EV on hand. However, outside of CARB states, it’s rare. Fortunately, you should be able to order one. Mercedes-Benz is selling the smart fortwo ED throughout the country, but, depending on where you live, you could have trouble finding one. Hyundai also says you can order an IONIQ Electric at any U.S. dealerships.

Let us know in the comments section if you own any of these vehicles and had difficulty acquiring it. Did you purchase it in a non-CARB state? Did you order direct? Please share your experience so that we may all have a better handle on BEVs available nationwide.

Exactly. We are getting an influx of CARB compliance cars on the used market throughout the country. I recently bought a used Fiat 500e here in Texas from a used car lot. Apparently it was a lease return in California and ended up at auction and was brought to the Dallas area along with several others.

I have also seen Ford Focus Electric and Kai Soul EV models around the Dallas area on occasion.

At the end of 2015 there were a lot of new Focus Electrics on dealers lots in Texas to take advantage of the $2,500 Texas EV rebate. The Texas EV rebate starts up again in April of this year so we will probably see a build up of FFEs on dealer lots again. Used FFEs are still pretty popular in Texas and don’t usually last long on used car lots if they are priced to sell.

Your post made realize that the e500 is not on the list. There appear to only be about three dozen sitting on dealer lots but that’s more inventory than the Ioniq has and the e500 does sell better than the FFE. I wonder why the e500 didn’t make the list.

Isn’t the VW e-Golf available nationwide yet? If not, isn’t making it available part of the VW dieselgate settlement, and so it *will* be available soon?

It’s selling pretty massively in leading European EV markets right now (Norway, Netherlands, Germany), so it’s not a quantity issue but a prioritizing issue, just like with Kia, Hyundai and (going the other direction) GM and the Bolt/Volt.

VW said it would be, or says it is, but it’s not the case yet. Surprise. Likely because the 2017 model for which that VW comment was made, has practically just come out. Yes, not 2018, but 2017. It SHOULD become available nationwide at some point, just like there SHOULD have been a 2017 a long time ago and a 2018 model now.

When I read an article on a website hosted in Canada, the UK, or some other country outside the USA, I always try to do so with the understanding that the article is written from the viewpoint of a resident of that nation. I don’t write comments to such websites whining about the fact that they have nationalistic, non-American view.

The fact that you repeatedly whine about the American orientation of InsideEVs rather suggests that you have an inferiority complex about whatever country you either live in or were born in. May I suggest that you get some therapy regarding your inferiority complex. Therapy might actually help you with your problem. Whining about it here won’t.

The Chevy Bolt EV is the only model sold in all states and territories, due to the huge GM dealer network. You cannot buy any other EV brand in every state or territory. Nissan is close but some dealers don’t sell the Leaf.

“However, the automaker has said that the vehicle will be available for order at all dealerships nationwide. We haven’t secured proof of this yet, but it makes sense and it can’t hurt to give it a try.”

Maybe the Hyundai rep meant the Ioniq PHEV? I highly doubt anyone outside of California will see an Ioniq EV anytime soon.

Also, the Smart ED used to be more widely available for order but a lot of dealers are now “service only”. Hence the lack of inventory. There isn’t a new Smart ED within 500 miles of my city. But there is a Smart service dealer so buying out of state is possible.

Anyways, this list just rides home the fact that in the US, the only automakers serious about BEVs are GM, Nissan, Tesla and BMW.

I was on the Hyundai website this past weekend and you can’t even order a BEV Ionic outside CA. From their website where you can Build Your Own:

Nice choice!
Now see it in person. The Ioniq Electric is currently only available at select California dealerships, find one near you.
Find Ioniq Electric Dealers
Ioniq Unlimited+ Program
View Ioniq Family

Since when has any of the Tesla vehicles been available in Michigan? Or is Michigan not part of the “nation”? Also, the 2018 VW e-Golf is the only one sold new, not the 2017. My work associate just configured and ordered a 2018 e-Golf, expected April delivery.

Per VW’s website, there is only a 2016 and 2017. The 2017 just came out nearly a year behind and there is no 2018 model. If you click on build your own, there is no 2018 option. They are almost a year behind. However, many publications and dealers are referring to it as a 2018, since that’s the model’s timeline. Also, a quick check on cars.com shows no 2018 inventory anywhere in the U.S. Your work associate ordered a 2018 and will take delivery in April, so that’s perhaps a refresh by VW to officially move to a 2018 model year moniker.

The recap from our December sales report card stated regarding the VW e-Golf:

“After a rocky start with the continued dieselgate fallout, the longer range 2017 e-Golf was promised to the U.S. after production started in Germany in late 2016.

Well, guess what? For the next nine months, all VW did was have the “old & busted” 2016s clogging up dealer lots – refusing to clear them out to make way for the new hotness.

Finally, the 2016s were gone by the start of fall, and like a magical unicorn, the new/longer range 2017 edition has appeared! And yes, you heard that right, VW was so slow with the upgraded model that they are just now introducing a “2017” model as everyone else has switched to the 2018s.”

The post specifically refers to and mentions the eight states that do not allow you to buy a Tesla, and Michigan is included on the list. You can order a Tesla vehicle on the automaker’s website, however, like many of these cars.

And laughably the VaporWare!!! eGolf was over 1% of their sales last year…
That is a lot of sales for a car that doesn’t exist…
That being said VW actually sells more cars in one month in China than they do yearly in the US…
So where do you think their priorities are??

Unfortunately, some of this is already outdated. Demand was so high at the end of 2017 that Tesla sold out its inventory cars. They currently show one Model S and zero Model X as new inventory for the entire US. Even CPO only shows 10 Model X and barely over 100 Model S.

But you can order one, right? Not so fast. Yes you can order one but the wait in the US is up to five months. In California I can order an S or X with expected June delivery.

GM better have the Volt’s Adaptive Cruise Cruise control in the 2019 Bolt or lose sales to the Leaf Gen 2 with ProPilot. Extra 90 miles of Bolt range over new Leaf can’t overcome having to modulate the go pedal manually with your right foot in hours of traffic a day.

If I had to go back to the days of spending multilpe hours in traffic each day I do not think the right solution would be to change what car I was driving, especially not to something brand new. Instead I would find a way to change how much I had to sit in traffic each day.

I know that can be easier said than done for folks due to various reasons like housing prices and family needs. So it might have to be be a goal to work towards. Buying a new car could make it harder to get to that goal. There are some pretty darn efficient used cars that would be tough to beat in TCO. Just an idea.

That said my concern with the Bolt is not the cruise control but the reports of uncomfotable front sests. As for the Leaf I have bigger concers with the lack of battery thermal management and resale.

I’ll admit the BOLT ev is a cheap car, but I’ve put on over 20,500 miles on mine and the car isn’t even a year old yet. Its a hoot to drive. I’m putting more miles on it at a much greater rate than any car I have ever owned.

I don’t know if people have back problems, or are excessively ‘gravity challenged’, but I find my plain jane cloth seats in the basic LT model very comfortable. There’s even more space for rear seat passengers. The $4000 extra Premiere option trim with much more uncomfortable Leather Seating and a bunch of do-dads I couldn’t care less about made me spring for the value model.

There are really very few choices for pure EV’s for me. I would not buy any BEV with a range under 230 miles. Both the orginal Roadster, and the BOLT ev meet that Benchmark.

Tesla doesn’t currently offer an economical vehicle for sale. I couldn’t afford the ongoing maintenance of my Roadster, so traded it in via a cashless swap for a new Cadillac 2014 ELR (in mid 2015). The warranty and maintenance programs on that car are ongoing and fantastic, plus the car is really ‘built’, essily withstanding our harsh northeastern winters. Only Out of pocket for the car has been tires and just replaced the wiper blades – a trivial expense.

Around town, as long as it is above 32 degrees F, the engine never runs, and doesn’t burn a drop of oil between free oil changes once every 2 years. So I consider that my recouped ‘Roadster’ Investment – the car itself (the roadster) is being enjoyed by a quite well-to-do Texas Jet-Setter.

Those reports are biased against the Bolt EV. Go to your Chevy dealer and sit in one. I did! And the seats are great but unique as they are asymmetrical (less padding toward the door side). You will love it and buy one!

NOTE=Never buy an EV without liquid cooling in a warm place like the Southern USA. So don’t buy the LEAF, KIA SOULEV or HYUNDAI IONIQ.
I’ve tested them all for 2-3 years and they are not fit to own. Maybe a short lease but never buy.

Really would be nice if you listed the CARB states. And not all compliance cars are sold in all CARB states. WA is a CARB state, for example, but didn’t adopt the EV mandate portion and so many of the “CARB” state EVs are not available here.

165 miles from your town WA to that car in Oregon. That sounds likw you might be in the Seattle area and that car you want is is in Portland where I am at? So that should not stop you. The Focus EV should have CCS fastcharge stsndard now. There are stations in Portland, Longview and South Tacoma. Seems like you could get that.

“However, there still eight states that either ban or limit Tesla’s direct sales model. Michigan, Texas, Utah, Connecticut, New Mexico, Wisconsin, and Oklahoma don’t allow the automaker to sell its cars at all”

You got the first sentence correct. But not the last. Tesla could sell their cars in those states if the chose to open independently owned Tesla franchises, which is something Musk has apparently considered doing once they start selling millions of cars, because at that point the direct build-to-order and 1 by 1 delivery model starts to fall over. Versus delivering 100at a time nationwide to dealer lots.

The idea that Tesla will be forced to adopt the obsolete “stealership” business model… well, let’s just say that actions speak louder than words. Tesla is showing by its actions that it has no intention of slashing its profit margin or treating its customers as “marks” to be fleeced, by selling thru stealerships.

Most buyers want to see, touch, and feel the cars they will buy before they put down money. Only a few take the risk of buying their second biggest purchase unseen (a home is the biggest). I am of the first types, wanting to see at a dealer what I will buy, and I have not changed that since my first GM car in 1975.